The current request for funding proposes a series of experiments which will quantitatively describe the cellular response to inflammation and, further, attempt to quantify the effects of cyclic tensile strain in an in vitro model. Fibroblasts cultured from the vocal folds will be exposed to IL-1beta, a method which has been shown to elicit a myriad of pro-inflammatory actions in various cell types in vitro including the stimulation of cyclo-oxygenase-2 (COX-2) and nitric oxide (NO), as well as the inhibition of proteoglycan production. Fibroblasts will then be subjected to cyclic tensile strain (CTS), simulating (roughly) in vitro vocal fold oscillation. It is hypothesized that CTS will act as an antagonist to many of the IL-1beta-dependent proinflammatory actions. This finding has been confirmed in numerous other cell types. The current investigation hopes to provide data suggesting a role for vocal fold oscillations as a potent anti-inflammatory agent as well as having long-term tissue remodeling implications. Furthermore, it seeks to provide in vitro data in conjunction with the Sponsor's current NIH ROI. [unreadable] [unreadable]